Even as Hardy said ‘Where’s Braun?’ he was moving again, toward the Hall, Glitsky on his heels.

But though they had no trouble getting by the night guard and into the building, after they took the stairs to the second floor they couldn’t get into the area of the judge’s chambers, which were behind the courtrooms. Hardy banged on doors all the way down the hallway. No answer.

A clerk, working late in one of the rooms, opened her door and poked a head out. ‘It’s closed up back there. Everybody’s gone home.’

Hardy kicked the door and the sound echoed off the walls. Then, suddenly, just as they turned to head back downstairs, the door opened. ‘What’s all this goddam racket?’

Leo Chomorro wasn’t Hardy’s favorite judge, although he was glad enough to see him now. It didn’t appear to be mutual – Chomorro was scowling. Then, noticing Glitsky, he nodded more genially. ‘Evening, lieutenant. What’s going on here?’

Glitsky laid it out in a few words. They needed a judge to vacate a contempt citation and get Hardy’s wife out of jail.

‘Your wife?’

‘Yes, your honor. There’s been some kind of screw-up.’

Chomorro’s scowl deepened. ‘What was she doing down here? She’s not an attorney, too, is she?’

‘No. She got called before the grand jury and the next thing she knew she was in jail.’

Chomorro looked like he wanted to ask some more questions, but he’d heard the magic word – grand jury – and knew nobody was allowed to discuss anything about its proceedings. They’d already told him the charge was contempt, though – he might pursue that. ‘Who issued the citation?’ he asked warily.